TOP : COURTESY OF SAPPHIRE , CELLAR-CRAFT-COOK ; BOTTOM : JEANNIE SIMONS
The BLT , with herb-and-pepper aioli and applewood-smoked bacon , at Sapphire , Cellar-Craft-Cook
additional new creations coming soon .”
A few other places in town offer a meatball sub , including Gina ’ s Pizza , which also has a chicken Parmesan sandwich . At Alessa by Chef Pirozzi , the lunch menu claims its version has the “ best homemade meatballs ever ” with a cheese blend in a ragu sauce , and warns diners that “ this is addictive .”
Other local specialties include a Monte Cristo at Kitchen in the Canyon , complete with ham , turkey and Swiss on Hawaiian bread dipped into a French toast batter and fried , then served with raspberry jam . This canyon spot also whips up a variety reminiscent of a Philly cheesesteak , with tri-tip , sauteed bell peppers and onions , melty Swiss and horseradish mayo on a French roll .
No doubt , we could write an entire story on chicken sandwiches around town , from the Honey Chicken Brie — a fan favorite at Reunion — to the pesto chicken and spicy crispy chicken sandwiches at Oak , the fried chicken option with jalapeno tartar sauce at Lumberyard and Ahba ’ s Chicken Sammie with green cabbage slaw , pickled mustard seed , Fresno peppers , harissa honey , Ahba sauce and a side of buttermilk ranch . And then there ’ s Reunion ’ s Crunchy Chicken Sandwich with grilled or fried chicken breast and , among the layered ingredients , crumpled potato chips . “ My wife , Rosemary , always puts potato chips on her sandwiches — gives it that extra crunch ,” McIntosh says . “ We thought it was a fun idea and our guests love it .”
When it comes to seafood , The Deck on Laguna Beach features a grilled mahi mahi sandwich with Cajun remoulade , cabbage slaw and pickled shallots among the accouterments . And Mosaic Bar & Grille at Montage Laguna Beach has both a blackened fish sandwich made with the daily catch as well as a lobster roll with Maine lobster , tarragon creme fraiche , pickled celery and smoked trout roe .
Of course , sometimes simple is best , and Oak has the perfect grilled cheese and roasted tomato soup , a timeless pairing . Many other local eateries serve grilled cheese , from Penguin Cafe to The Cliff and The Deck , the latter of which uses Danish fontina and Vermont cheddar , caramelized onions and applewood bacon , also with tomato soup .
WORLDLY WONDERS Different cultures have their own take on the sandwich , too . Adolfo ’ s Mexican Food offers “ tortas ,” which start with toasted bread slathered with mayo , then pile on beans and your choice of carne asada , carnitas , chicken , chorizo or bacon and eggs , all topped with lettuce , tomato , onions , guacamole and sour cream . It offers all the flavors of a burrito , but in sandwich form . Mosaic also offers an al pastor torta with grilled chicken , pineapple slaw , lettuce , tomato , avocado and jalapeno aioli .
Head to Oak for a Cuban-ish Sandwich , served warm with smoked ham , pastrami and
peppered bacon , melted Swiss , So Cal sauce and spicy pickles . Or visit Moulin , where the menu features traditional French options including Le Croque Monsieur , a grilled housemade ham and cheese , and Madame , which builds on that with a sunny side-up egg on top . At Saigon Beach , the banh mi sandwich reigns supreme . This Vietnamese creation — with French influences from colonial times in the Asian country — starts with a toasty baguette giving way to savory grilled pork or other proteins , a sprinkling of cilantro , tangy pickled carrots and jicama , some heat from sliced jalapenos , a light layer of mayo and the cooling crunch of cucumber . Swap the grilled pork for pork belly , brisket beef , shredded chicken , tofu , mushroom or jackfruit .
“ An employee favorite … is a pho baguette dip ,” says Saigon Beach manager Annabel Vu . “ It contains the fixings of a pho noodle soup in a toasted baguette served with a side of pho broth . You can dip it or sip it . So delicious and perfect when you can ’ t decide between soup or sandwich — have both .”
And Starfish Laguna offers a slider version of the banh mi — either beef with housepickled slaw and Sriracha aioli or crispy seasoned soft-shell crab with fresh vegetable slaw , cilantro and an aioli trio .
With so many options , the hardest part is deciding which to choose . Luckily , every day is an opportunity to try a new iteration of the best thing since sliced bread . g
Lumberyard ’ s fried chicken sandwich with jalapeno tartar sauce
LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 39